Verifying machine



April 10 1934.

D. c. DAUBMEYER I VERIFYING MACHiNE Filed Nov. 2'5, 1928 13 Sheets-Sheet, 1

INVENTOR kwfiy '6 Hawk/716,6.

ATTORNEY D. c. DAI'J'BMEYER April 10, 1934.

vVERIFYING-MACHINE Filed Nov. 26'. 1928 13 Sheets-Sheet 2 .llllll Lu Ellllll INVENTOR III:-

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ATTORNEYS Apnl 10, 1934. D. c. DAUBMEYER VERIFYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26. 1928 13 Shees-$heet 3 I INVENTOR flewey C arvmeycr ATTORNEYS April 1934. D. c. DAUBMEYER 1,954,522

VERIFYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 28, 1928 13 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Jen 8y 6f l'aubmeyer ATTORNEYS April 10, 1934. D. c. DAUBMEYER VERIFYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1928 13 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR .zwey RY/&m eyzr v ATTORNEYS April 10, 1934.

D. C. DAUBMEYER VERIFYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 2a; 192

13 Sheets-Sheet 7 a $2 Mu April 10,1934. D. c. DAUBMEYER VER IFYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1928 13 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS p l 1934; p. c. DAU'BMEYER 1,954,522

VERIFYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 2a, 1928 13 Sheets-Sheet 11 flfwey CfQvhweyer April 10, 1934. D. c. DAUBMEYER VERIFYfNG MACHINE Filed Nov. 26. 1928 13 Sheets-Sheet 12 ,Qao 1-7}:

ATTORNEYS April 10, 1934.

D. c. DAU BMEYER VERIFYING: momma Filed Nov. 26,1928. 5 Sheets-Sheet 1s INVENTOR DeweYC- drab My ATTORN EYS Patented Apr. 10, 1934 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 70 Claims;

' This invention relates to verifying machines employed in the verification of perforated tabulating cards and more particularly to improve ments in devices of this class which are automatic 5 in operation and electrically controlled.

Verifying machines of this character find particular utility in connection with accounting systems and the like in which the data to be recorded is indicated by a perforation or a series of perforations in a tabulating card or sheet. Inasmuch as the tabulating cards are manually perforated by an operator the accuracy of the data sheets or cards thus produced is conditional upon the skill and care exercised by the operator. In order to check the accuracy of the perforations in these data cards before they are sorted and tabulated it is customary to pass the cards through a verifying device by means of which any errors therein may be detected.

Heretofore verifier-s of this character have been principally manually controlled and the construction has been such that it has been difficult,

-if not impossible, to detect many of the various types of errors which occur with more or less frequency in record cards of this nature. In the form of verifier shown and claimed in my Patent No. 1,608,493 dated November 30, 1926 means is provided for accurately and positively detecting all classes of errors which might be made during the original perforation of the cards and for indicating the presence of an error by a signal.

However, while the structure claimed in my aforesaid patent overcomes all of the objections of previous verifying devices the verifier therein disclosed is in nowise automatic in that there is no automatic card feeding mechanism; no automatic card ejecting mechanism; no automatic field skip mechanism; and no means for automatically verifying data common to two or more cards.

Therefore, the present invention has as its object to make more eflicient, to render automatic and improve generally heretofore known verifiers' h the device by the operator. An automatic field skip is also provided whereby a certain field or plurality of fields of the card may be automatically skipped without any positive action on the part of the operator.

The present invention also contemplates the provision of means for reversing the sequence of the electrical circuits of the verifying mechanism whereby cards which come from the perforating machine face downwards may be verified face downwards without necessitating the rearrangement of the same and by operating the keys of the verifying mechanism in the ,customary or usual manner.

The herein described construction involves numerous advantages of automatic control and operation not hereinbefore specifically referred to which contribute materially to produce a substantially completely automatic device which may be operated with consummate ease, rapidity and efficiency.

The several objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein a physical embodiment of a structure by means, of which these advantages may be carried into execution is illustrated. In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the device taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 33 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 4-4 in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view through the machine with the contact lifter mechanism in a di ferent position.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 6-6 of Figure 2 showing the keycontrolling the carriage release mechanism.

Figure '7 is a similar view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 7-7 of Figure 2 showing the key controlling the reset mechanism.

Figure 8 is a similar view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 8-8 of Figure 2 showing the key for controlling the repeating mechanism.

Figure 9 is a rear elevation of the machine with certain parts broken away for sake of clearness.

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the escapement mechanism.

Figure 11 is a similar view with the parts in a .different position.

Figure 12 is a similar view with the parts in still another. position.

Figure 13 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 13-13 of Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 14-14 in Figure 5. r I

Figure 15 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 1515 in Figure 3.

Figure 16 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line l616 of Figure 2.

Figure 17 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view showing one of the initial circuit contacts in open position.

Figure 18 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the carriage in one of its extreme positions.

Figure 19 is a fragmentary elevational view of the circuit reversing mechanism.

Figure 20 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 20-20 of Figure 19.

Figure-2l is a plan view of one of the tabulating cards.

- Figure 22 is a diagrammatic view illustrative of the circuits involved.

Figure 23 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the manual latch plate operating means. Figure 24 is a fragmentary sectional view through a modified form of card guiding mechanism, and

Figure 25 is a fragmentary plan view of the structure illustrated in Figure 24.

The problem herein involved is that of verifying the accuracy of the perforations in for instance a tabulating card or sheet such as shown at C in Figure 21. The tabulating card therein illustrated is known in the art as a dual card for the reason that the card has data to be verified written across the face thereof. Dual cards are verified face upwards. Cards known as transcript cards are also used. These cards have no data written upon them, the data being read from a separate record when the cards are verified. It is preferable and much more efllcient to verify transcript cards face downwards because as these cards are perforated the operator places themv in the pile face downwards. With heretofore known verifying machines it has been necessary to verify all cards either face upwards or face downwards but in accordance with the present invention and i ,by means yet to be referred to this present maof double punching; perforations punched infields which should have been spaced; last column errors and insufficiently perforated fields. The herein described machine is adapted and particularly designed to detect all of the aforementioned and any other errors which may occur during the original perforating of the cards. 1

Referring now more particularly to the drawings it will be noted that the base of the machine consists essentially of a main base portion 10 of hollow construction and of substantially rectangular shape having a laterally extending hollow rectangular portion 11 of a width less than that of the main portion 10. The base portion 11 is provided with spaced projections or lugs 12 to which the key board housing or casing 13 is adjustably pivotally connected as for instance by set screws 14. The hollow interior of the main base portion 10 is employed principally for son-. taining and housing the repeat mechanism while the hollow-interior of base portion 11 constitutes a receptacle for the verified cards. To this end the base portion 11 is provided with a removable tray or drawer 15 in which the verified cards are deposited and from which they may be removed by withdrawing this tray or drawer. Projecting upwardly from the upper side of housing 13 are the manually operated keys of the device and the contacts controlled thereby are arranged interiorly of this housing 13 as is also the electric signal lamp and also preferably the circuit reversing mechanism, all of which will hereafter be 5 more fully referred to.

Preferably cast integrally with the base of the machine and extending rearwardly therefrom are bracket arms 16 which constitute supports for one of the rails 17 of the track or guide way of the card carriage. The other rail of this track or guide way is indicated by the reference character 18 and extends longitudinally of the housing 10 interiorly thereof and may be conveniently supported by means of brackets 19.

The card carriage consists of a rack bar 20and a skip bar 21 to which arms 22 and 23 are connected. Arm 22 is rigidly connected to the bars 2021 as indicated at 24 and extends in a horizontal plane into the interior of base 10 through a slot 25 formed in the rear vertical wall thereof. A roller 26 mounted at the outer end of arm 22 works in track or guide way 17 while the inner end of arm 22 is provided with a roller 27 which runs on track 18. Arm 23 at the other end of the card carriage is pivotally mounted as at 28 to a bracket 29 secured to the end of the bars 2021. A roller 30 is also provided which runs in track or guide 17. The short end of arm 23 beyond pivot 28 is adapted to engage an adjustable stop 31 and to be normally urged into engagement with this stop by means of a spring 32, for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter referred to.

The stack of cards to be verified is deposited in a hopper or rack defined by a plurality of up- .standing bars or guide members 33 which project upwardly from the base 10. The top wall of the base portion 10 is provided longitudinally and centrally thereof with a slot 34 in which a card knife 35 carried by arm 22 is adapted. to travel. This card knife is pivotally mounted as at 36 on the end of arm 22 and is normally urged upwardly by means of a spring 37. This knife member 35 is provided with a knife edge and a shoulder 38 adapted to engage behind the edge of the lowermost card of the stack of cards deposited between the guides 33. The other or opposed edge of the card C is engaged by the end of arm 23. For this purpose the end of this arm is slotted as indicated at 39. By adjustingadjustable abutment 31, the distance between the card engaging portions of arms 22 and 23 may be regulated so as to prevent buckling of the card. v

v The card carriage is normally urged toward the left in Figures 2 and 3 by any suitable means such vided for moving the carriage to the right against the action of the spring I have herein illustrated a thumb piece 40 for this purpose.

The escapement mechanism is shown in detail most clearly in Figures 10, 11 and 12. This escapement mechanism is preferably mounted on a bracket plate 41 and consists of a main pawl 42 pivotally mounted as at 43 upon a stud projecting from the bracket plate 41. The pivot stud 43 passes through a slot44 in the main pawl for a purpose to be later referred, to. Main pawl 42 is provided with a second pawl 45 pivotally connected thereto as at 46 and normally projected in an upward direction by means of a spring 47. These pawls 42 and 45 are adapted to alternately engage the teeth 48 of rack 20 in the customary manner. The main pawl 42 is normally rocked about its pivot to cause it to engage the teeth of the rack by means of a spring 49.

I propose operating the escapement mechanism electrically by means of an escapement solenoid 50. The armature of this solenoid is connected to theescapement mechanism by means of a link 5l'pivotally connected as at- 52 to a block 53 capable of vertical sliding movement in a slot 54 formed in the main pawl 42.

The reference character 55 indicates an escapement release solenoid the armature of which is pivotally connected as at 56 to the escapement mechanism by means of a link 57. Thus in a manner and for a purpose to be later more fully referred to the entire escapement mechanism may be moved downwardly out of engagement with the teeth 48 of rack bar 20. The slots 44 and 54 hereinbefore referred to permit this escapement mechanism to move downwardly upon an energization of escapement release solenoid 55.

Arranged adjacent the escapement solenoid 50 and adapted to be operated by the armature 58 thereof is a delayed error circuit? switch 59. Thus upon each energization of escapement solenoid 50 the resulting movement of the armature causes a closing of this delayed error circuit switch 59, for a purpose to be later referred to.

.As will be understood each card C is ordinarily moved with a step by step movement toward the left as viewed inFigures 2 and 3 and as a consequence each vertical row of numerals or other indicia or each vertical field of the card is successively presented above perforation de tecting means herein shown as consisting of a row of plungers or perforation detecting pins 60. There are usually twelve of these plungers, each of which controls an individual circuit corresponding to the twelve positions in each vertical field of the card C. Each plunger 60 is mounted upon the end of a rockable lever 61 pivotally supported intermediate its length as at 62 upon a supporting block 63. A spring 64 normally urges the plunger end of each lever 61upwardly. The

, rear end of each lever 61 is adapted when in engagement with adjustable contact 65, to close one of the twelve circuits hereinbefore referred to. The contacting members 6l65 constitute will rock the plunger ends of the levers down-' wardly thus opening the corresponding contacts 66. However, whenever a perforation or a plurality of perforations register with the corresponding plungers 60 the corresponding levers 61 are permitted to rock to the position illustrated in Figure 3 whereupon the corresponding con-.

tacts 66 are closed. Extending transversely of the machine and above the upper ends of the series of plungers 60 is a block 67 provided with depressions or recesses 68 providing clearance for the protruding ends'of those plungers which are engaging apertures in the card. An adjustable throat block 69 arranged at the forward end of the card hopper accurately guides the cards between the block 67 and the plunger 60. The closing of any of the initial error circuit contacts 66 effects an energization of the error circuit relay in a manner yet to be referred to.

There are twelve keys '70 corresponding to the twelve circuits hereinbefore referred to and corresponding tothe twelve positions in each vertical field of the card to be verified. Each of these keys operate a corresponding lever 71 which is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends as at 72 on a bracket 73. lever 71 is provided with a roller 74 and the movement of each lever operates a plurality of contacts or switches now to be referred to in detail. Adjacent the rear end of each lever 71 and operated thereby by the corresponding key is a normally closed error circuit contact or switch '75, a normally open lift coil circuit contact '76 and a normally open escapement circuit contact or switch 77. There are twelve individual contacts or switches 75, one for each of thetwelve hereinbefore referred to circuits and a corresponding number of lift coil circuit contacts or switches 76. The escapement circuit contacts or switches 77 are common to all of the twelve keys '70. It will thus be readily seen, particularly from an examination of Figure 4, for instance, that a depression of any of the keys '70 causes the cor- The rear end of each Ill) then the error circuit relay will be energized,

the circuit being completed thereto through initial error circuit contact 66, normally closed error circuit contact '75 and delayed error circuit contact 59. It will be understood that delayed error circuit contact 59 is closed upon energization of escapement solenoid 50 which solenoid was energized upon the closing of contact or switch 77. The closing of contact or switch 76 in this operation of the machine is an idle op eration, the circuit of which this contact or switch forms a part coming into operation only when it is desired to set up contacts in the automatic repeat mechanism yet to be referred to.

The key board is arranged for touch system operation and the keys are arranged in stepped banks, each key having preferably smooth celluloicl tips all of which is conducive of speed in operation. The construction of the levers is such that a short stroke of the keys effects an operation of the machine. Each lever is preferably provided with a lift spring 78 which maintains the corresponding key in its normal position while a resilient buffer abutment 79 is provided to limit the movement of the key in the other direction.

When an error is detected as above pointed out the circuit thus completed energizes error circuit relay 80 which controls an error lamp circuit for illuminating signal lamp 81] This signal lamp will remain illuminated until the relay 80 which controls the same is de energized. The relay circuit is de-energized by depression of key 82 shown particularly in Figure 6. A depression of this key opens normally closed contact or switch 83 thus breaking the relay circuit and closes contact or switch 84 which closes the circuit energizing escapement release solenoid 55. This permits the carriage to return to the left whereby the card may be released for correction.

The present invention contemplates the provision of means whereby the added feature of automatically verifying data, common to two or more cards, is made possible. This automatic verification may be frequently employed to advantage especially on transcript cards where itis not unusual to encounter a number of cards which have been perforated from one record having the same date, sheet number, work order number, etc. Frequently the only data differing on a number of these cards is, for instance, the identification number of the commodity and its value. When this condition presents itself the operator may, with the present machine, operate a repeat key, prior to entering the field to be repeated automatically and thereafter upon verification of the first of the series of cards having common data, set up a series of contacts corresponding. to this common data whereupon the cards of this group or series subsequently verified cause the machine to be operated in such a manner that this verification is accomplished automatically without any attention from the operator.

In order to accomplish this, repeat key 85, see particularly Figure 8, is depressed. This key is provided with a shoulder 86, as is customary, which engages the edge of the slot through which it passes so that this key may be depressed and held down. A depression of repeat key 85 closes contact or switch 87 which. initially completes a contact lifter solenoid circuit common to all of the lifter solenoids. The individual circuits controlling respectively the several lifter solenoids are completed by the closing of switches 76 operated by keys 70. The contact lifter solenoids are indicated by the reference character 88 and are twelve in number thus corresponding to the twelve positions in each, vertical field of the card. These solenoids are mounted in a frame 89, an arm of which is connectedas at 90 to the card carriage so thatthis bank of contact lifter solenoids 88 travel longitudinally of the machine with a step by step movement in the same manner as the card carriage. This bank of solenoids 88 travels under a plurality or field of contact pins 91, the number of these pins corresponding to the number of positions in the entire field of the card to be verified. Thus there are forty-five rows of twelve each of these contact pins. This field of contact pins is mounted in a frame consisting essentially of spaced guide plates 92 and a guide plate 93 of fibre or other insulating material. Each contact pin registers with an aperture 94 in the fibre guide plate 93 through which the pin may be projected for the purpose of making a contact with a contact member yet to be referred to. Each pin is further provided with a shouldered portion 95 adapted to rest upon the uppermost guide plate 92 for the purpose of limiting its downward movement and also with a shoulder 96 adapted for engagementwith a-latch or keeper strip or plate 97. There is a latch strip 97 for each vertical row of contact pins 91 and each latch plate is normally urged to the right as seen for instance in Figure 14, by a spring 98. An energization of any one of the solenoids 88 causes the armature 99 thereof to be projected upwardly to thus project the corresponding contact pin beyond the upper surface of fibre plate 93. During this movement of the contact pin the inclined face 100 of the shoulder 96 thereof moves the latch plate 97 to the left and after the contact pin has been fully projected the spring 98 returns the latch plate to its normal position and the pin is held in its projected position.

If one contact pin in a vertical field has already been set up and the pin in that field is to be changed the setting up of another pin will release the previously set up contact pin because each time a contact pin is set up the latch plate is moved to the left out of engagement with the shoulder 96 whereupon the previously set up pin may drop back to its original position. Thus a contact pin which has once been set up will remain in that position until another pin is set up or until the set up pin has been positively released by a releasing mechanism yet to be referred to. If it is desired to set up for instance two contact pins in the same vertical field two of the lifter solenoids 88 can be energized simultaneously whereupon the two contact pins will be set up as will be obvious.

Associated with each vertical column of contact pins is a latch release pin 101. This is operated by a solenoid 88 similar to the lifter solenoids 88. This pin is provided with a cam surface 102 which will move the latch plate to the left as viewed in Figure 14, to release the previously set up pins in that column.

- It will be understood that the field of contact pins 91 is permanently fixed within the base 10 of the machine and as mentioned hereinbefore the bank of lifter solenoids 88 is moved successively under each vertical column of'these contact pins. Carried in the frame 89 above the field of contact pins are a plurality of wiper contacts 103. corresponding to the twelve positions of each vertical column or field and to the twelve lifter solenoids 88. Each wiper contact consists of a resilient portion 104 which is adapted to engage with one of the projected contact pins 91 and with a resilient arm 105 adapted to have a sliding contact or engagement with a longitudinally extending contact rail 106.

There are twelve of these contacts Each one of the twelve circuits controlled by these contact members includes a key operating solenoid 107 which has the armature 108 thereof connected to the stem of the corresponding key 70. Thus upon the completion of any one of these twelve circuits the corresponding key operating solenoid 107 is energized and the corresponding key 70 is drawn downwardly in the same manner as if depressed from above, This will operate the contacts or switches 75, 76 and 77 in the same manneras when these keys are depressed manually. If, therefore, contact pins are set up in several of the vertical columns or fields, corresponding to data common to several cards, the card carriage will be moved and the anism, the contact lifter solenoid, and the automatic repeat mechanism, are all controlled by switch212-213A which is automatically operated by the error circuit relay. Thus upon the detection of an error either in the manual .or automatic operation ofthis device, the error circuit relay is energized and this switchis opened so that neitherthe escapement" mechanism, contact lifter mechanism, nor repeat mechanism can be. further actuated. Thus the column in which the error appears can be'readily located.

As was describedpreviously a depression of any depressed. After the repeat key is depressed and contact 8'! closed then the subsequent depression of any of the keys 70 causes the circuit to the corresponding lifter solenoid 88 to be-completed through contact 76. Thus as the first of a series of cards having common data is verified the contact pins which must be set up to subsequently verify the remaining cards containing common data, will be automatically set up. Thereafter as previously mentioned the remainder of this group of cards may have the field containing common data automatically verified without further attention on the part of the operator, the

machineoperating automatically to verify each' column step by step and the carriage moving to the left with a step by step movement as though the keys were manually operated.

As was previously pointed out the contact pins 91 which were setup during the yerification of the first of a group of cards having common data may be returned to normal inoperative position upon the operation of release .pins 101. The circuit energizing solenoid 88 which operates the release pins- 101 is controlled by reset key 108 which key is arranged adjacent the other special keys 82 and 85. This key is shown more particularly in Figure 7 and it will be noted that a depression of reset key 108 closes normally open contact or switch 109 and also closes contact 110 which operates the escapement. In this manner the-vertical fields may be successively cleared of set-up contact pins 91 by repeatedly depressing reset key 108.

By reference to Figures 3 and 23 the manner in which all of the vertical fields may be simultaneously cleared manually will be made apparent. From these figures it will be noted that a clearing bar 111 is employed which extends longitudinally of the base adjacent the ends'of the latch bars which protrude exteriorly of the base. This latch bar is pivotally mounted as at 112 and may be operated by means of a handle 113. A depression of handle 113 rocks the clearing bar soas to simultaneously move allof the latch strips 97 in'wdirectionto release any set-up of contact pins 91.

In verifying the various types of cards em-' ployed in perforated card tabulating systems it is frequently advantageous to .provide means whereby certain fields of the card may be automatically skipped. The necessity for skipping fields may be that with cards upon which certain classes of data is indicated it is unnecessary to utilize or verify certainfields. It might also happen that only a certain portion of the card is used. In any event in verifying machines of this character great-efficiency and many advantages are obtained if means is provided whereby the fields which it is unnecessary to verify can be automatically skipped. To this end the present invention contemplates the provision of means whereby those portions of'the card which (see Figures 9 and 10).

need not be verified are passed over by an automatic release of the carriage when these fields are approached. To this end the carriage is ure 9 the skip bar 21 is of relatively simple construction. This skip bar is provided with a cam surface 115 on the lower edge thereof and a cam surface 116 onthe upper edge thereof. These raised or cam portions of the skip bar overlap one another slightly as shown in Figure 9. The

lower cam surface 115 actson a projection or pin- 117 carriedby the main pawl 43 of the escapement mechanism. The purpose of this lower cam surface 115 is to move the escapement mechanism out of engagement with the rack bar 20 upon the movement of the carriage to its extreme right hand position. The upper cam surface 116 acts to close contact or switch member 118 which initially completes a relay circuit for maintaining escapementrelease solenoid 55 en ergized. The utility of this construction is as follows: During the operation of the machine the carriage may be released by depressing release key 82. This energizes the circuit in which escapement release solenoid 55 is included which solenoid in turn withdraws the escapement mechanism from engagement with the rack bar thus permitting the carriage under the influence of its spring to move to its extreme left hand- .position, see Figures 2 and 3; or to the right in Figure 9. Except'at the extreme right handtary depression of the release key 82 will permit the carriage to move to its extreme left'hand position. When however, the carriage is moved to its extreme right hand position upper cam surface 116 is moved beyond contacts 118 and these contacts are separated thus de-energizing the relay circuit.

When the carriage is in position to bring the first column or field over the detecting plungers 60 the main pawl 42 of the escapement mechanism is in engagement with tooth 20a. .of rack 20 However it is desirable to move the carriage beyond this position so as to insure the engagement of the card knife behind the edge of the lowermost card. It is for this purpose that the lower cam surface is employed. It will be seen that as the carriage is moved to its extreme right hand position lower cam surface 115 engages pin 117 of the escapement mechanism' and thus moves this escapement mechanism from engagement with the rack bar. has been moved to its right hand position is released, the carriage will then move several tooth spaces to the left until pin 117 rides oil? of lower cam surface 115 whereupon the main pawl 42 of thefescapement mechanism will come into engagement with tooth 20a. and the card will then When the handle 40 by which the carriage cordance with the character or type of the card 6 be positioned with the first field in registration with the detecting plungers 60.

- It will be, obvious that by providing as many lower cam surfaces as are necessary in acbeing verified those fields or groups of fields which it is unnecessary to verify maybe automatically skipped. By making the skip or cam bar readily removable bars having the cam surfaces thereof constructed in accordance with the various stacks of cards being verified. may be quickly and easily substituted.

' Means is provided for automatically guiding the card after it passes the verifying or detecting plungers 60 and for subsequently releasing the card, after the completion of the verifying operations and for depositing it in the receptacle or.

drawer 15. For this purpose I provide a pair of grooved guide ways 119 which are so mounted as to be capable of movement toward and away from one another. Each card guide 119 is controlled by a pair of solenoids 120. These solenoids are connected in series and 'controlled'by a contact or switch member 121 arranged adjacent the left hand end of the machine. The left hand arm 23 of the card carriage hereinbefore referred to is provided with a lug or projection 122 preferably of insulating material, which, when the carriage reaches its extreme left hand position, engages contacts 121 to close the same.

This simultaneously energizes solenoids which act to move the guideways 119 away from one another. This permits the card carried thereby to be deposited in the drawer-15. Just prior to the engagement of lug 122 with contact member .121 the short end'of arm 23 beyond pivot point 28 engages a stop or abutment 123 which'swings the arm 123 about its pivot to dis engage the slotted portion 39 from'the left hand end of the card. Consequently when the solenoids 120 are energized a card may drop freely into the drawer 15 therebelow.

In Figures 24 and 25 -a modified form of card holding mechanism is illustrated. In this form of construction the left hand card arm 23, the card guides 119, the solenoids 120 and consequently the switch 121'are dispensed with. In this modified form of construction a lower support 124 for the card is provided which support extends under the block 67 hereinbefore referred to. The edge of this support 124 is scalloped or cut away to form a plurality of fingers 125 which extend between the series of detectingplungers 60. Cooperating with the lower support 124 is a resilient spring member 126 which may be conveniently secured to the upper surface of bar 67 and will extend downwardly and exert a slight pressure upon the upper face of the card C. This pressure will be sufiicient to maintain the card in engagement with the lower support 124 until after the last column to be verified has been moved past the verifyingplungers .60. After this the card will drop by gravity into the drawer 15. As was previously mentioned dual cards must be verified face up as the data is written across the face thereof while transcript cards are'preferablv verified face down because it is customary for the operator to turn, these cards face down as they come fromthe perforating machine, so as to keep them in the order of the written data. As was also heretofore mentioned it has been impossible prior to this invention, to'verify cards bothface upwards and. face downwards in the same machine. The reason for this is obvious. When the cards are verified face upwards each lower cm 115' of vertical field starts at the top of the card and extends downwardly toward the lower edge thereof whereas when'the card is turned face downward the sequence of the vertical field is reversed and what was the top of the vertical field is now the bottom of the vertical field and vice versa. As a consequence the circuits corresponding to the several numerals-or positions of each vertical field must be reversed if the keys 70 are to be operated in the customary manner. In accordance with the present invention means is provided for quickly reversing'the sequence of the twelve main circuits and by reference to Figures 19 and 20 the mann'erin which this is accomplished will be made more apparent. This reversing device consists of an outer circular shaped 1 member or drum 127 provided with a plurality, in the present instance twenty-three, contacts 128. Rotatively arranged interiorly of this drum 127 is a contact disc 129 provided with a plurality, in the-present instance, twelve-contacts 130. A handle 131 is provided for rotating contact disc 129. Ordinarily when verifying dual cards face upwards contact disc'129 is in the position wherein contact number "12 thereof is in engagement with contact number 12 of the outer drum 127. Under these conditions the twelve main circuits controlled by the main keys are normal so that a depression of for instance No. 1" key operates No. 1" circuit of the twelve main circuits. When however transcript cards or other cards which must be verified face downwards are being passed through the machine handle 131 is operated to rotate contact disc through approximately degrees thereby positioning contact number 12 of disc 129 opposite contact number-9 of the outer drum member; contact number "11 of the disc opposite contact number 8 of the outer drum member, etc. This reverses the sequence of the twelve. main circuits so that the-main key board '70 may be. operated in the customary manner and the perforations in the various positions of each field correctly verified.

- In general the operation of the herein described device is as follows:'

' A stack of cards to be verified is placed in the card hopper defined by the uprights 33 and throat block 69. These cards may be placed in thehopper either face upwards or face downwards and the sequence of the twelve main circuits of the device adjusted in accordance therewith by a proper manipulation-of the circuit reversing device 127. 'Thecard carriage which is normally in its extreme left hand position is moved to its extreme right hand position whereupon the card knife 35 is'moved beyond the edge of the lowermost card of the stack. As the card carriage approaches its extreme right hand position pin 117 carried by the escapement mechanism engages skip bar '21 to maintain the escapement disengaged from the rack 20. It

will be remembered that during the greater part 'of the travel of the card carriage toward the right the escapement has been maintained disengaged by the escapement release solenoid 55 which is .kept energized by the relaycircuit closed in part through skip bar' controlled contacts 118. when the carriage is released it shuttlesback towards.

the left until the pin 117 of the escapement mechanism rides-off lower cam 115 whereupon the escapement mechanism engages for instance tooth 20a of rack bar 20. In-the meantime the card knife 35. has engaged the right hand edge of the lowermost card of the stack and has moved card to a position where the first column to 1 be verified registers with the detecting or verifying plungers 60. In the meantime upper cam 116 of the skipper bar has again closed contacts 118 initially controlling the relay circuit designed to maintain escapement release solenoid 55 energized should this escapement release solenoid be energized by the normal depression of release key 82.

As the first column to be verified comes into registration with the verifying plunger 60 the imperforate portions of the card depress the plungers 60 thus opening the corresponding initial error circuit contacts 66. However, if a perforation is present, one of the plungers 60 will have entered this perforation in this column and the corresponding initial error circuit contact will be closed. The operator then depresses one of the'keys 70. This opens the corresponding normally closed error circuit 75 and successively closes lift coil circuit contact 76 and escapement contact 77. The closing of contact 77 energizes escapement solenoid 50 to operate the escapement and permit the carriage to move one tooth space to the left thus presenting the next vertical column to the verifying plunger 60. Upon energization of escapement solenoid 50 the armature 58 thereof moves outwardly to close delay error circuit contact 59. If it be assumed that the proper key was depressed the error circuit is not successfully closed because of the previous opening of normally closed error circuit contact The error circuit is completed only when an initial error circuit contact 66, the corresponding normally closed error circuit contact and the common delayed error circuit contact 59 are closed. If, however, the perforation detected by plungers 60 is incorrect or an incorrect key '70 has been depressed or there are two perforations in that particular vertical column when there shouldhave been but one, the error circuit will be completed through one of the twelve main circuits. This energizes error circuit relay 80 which controls the signal lamp circuit which is then energized thus illuminating signal 81. As previously pointed out, the energization of the error circuit relay 80 separates a pair of contacts included in the escapement circuit, and also the repeat circuit so that in case an error is detected the further operation of the machine is interrupted. This circuit remains closed and the sig- 'nal lamp 81 remains illuminated until a depression of release key 82. A depression of this key opens normally closed contact 83 in the relay circuit thus de-energizing the relay and closes contact 84 which energizes escapement release solenoid 55 whereupon the carriage returns to the left to release the card for correction.

If in verifying the stack of cards it is found, from the record from which verification is made that there is a group of cards having common data the repeat mechanism is brought into operation so that this data common to the several cards need not be individually manually verified thereon. To this end repeat key 85 is depressed prior to the verification of the common data on the first card. Repeat key 85 is provided with a shoulder whereby the same may be held depressed. A depression. of this key closes contact 87 which initially completes the lifter solenoid circuit controlling the energization of lifter solenoids 88. It will be understood that this bank of solenoids travels under the field of. contact pins 91, there being thirteen of these lifter solenoids ,one'for each of the positions of the vertical field and one for the reset pin. Thereafter when the data common to the group of cards is being verified on. the first of this group, the depression of any of the keys 70 causes, by the closing of the lift coil circuit contact '76, an energization of the solenoid 88 corresponding to that particular key. Upon energization of any of the solenoids 88 the armature 99 thereof moves upwardly and projects the corresponding contact pin 91 above the upper surface of fibre 93 or in other words sets the corresponding contact pin. These pins are maintained in projected or set position by means of the latch plates 97. When the field or fields on the first card have been verified, which are common to the group of cards and it is no longer desired to set up any of the contact pins 91, repeat key 85 is disengaged and permitted to resume its normal position Thereafter a depression of any of the keys '70 in the normal verification of the cards does not set up any of the contact pins 91 because the initial contact 87 is open and the closing ofcontacts 76 is an idle operation.

If, for instance, the data set up in the field entitled Account or Work-Order No. as shown on the card illustrated in Figure 21 is common to a number of cards, contact pins corresponding to this data will be set up in the corresponding vertical columns in the bank of contact pins 91. Thereafter as the first column of this field of each card approaches the verifying plungers the circuits to the corresponding key operating solenoids 107 will be energized byengagement of the contact wipers 103 which will cause the corresponding keys 70 to be drawn downwardly by solenoids 107 in accordance with the contact pins 91 which were previously set up. This movement of the keys '70 rocks the corresponding levers 71 and operates the contacts 75, '76 and 77 in the same manner as though the keys were manually depressed by the operator. Simultaneously the verifying plungers 60 are functioning to detect any perforations in each column and should an error occur in any of. the perforations the error signal circuit will be com pleted. in the same manner as previously described. The automatic verification of each card will continue to the extent to which the contact pins 91 have been set up whereupon the automatic verification will cease and the remainder of the card, if such therebe, may be verified by a manual depression of the proper keys.

A contact pin set up in any vertical column will be released by the setting up of another contact pin in the same column or may be released by the energization of solenoid 88 which will operate the release pin 101 of the vertical column with which it registers. This solenoid is energized by a depression of reset key 108 which closes contact 109 completing the circuit to solenoid 88 and also closes contact 110 completing the circuit to the escapement solenoid 50. Thus the contact pins set up in successive vertical columns may be released by the repeated depression of reset key 108 or all of the latch plates may be simultaneously released by operating reset bar 111 through handle 113.

v The operation of the escapement mechanism will probably be best understood by an examination and comparison of Figures 10, 11 and 12. In Figure 10 the escapement mechanism is in its normal position while in Figure 11 escapement release solenoid 55 has been energized to withdraw the escapement mechanism from engagement with rack 20 whereupon the carriage will move to its extreme left hand position permit- 

